Motorcycles don’t get any rarer than the 1913 Harley-Davidson 9G Forecar for sale on eBay. It’s reportedly the only remaining example. That helps explains the required starting bid of $139,995.
The Harley Forecar 9G is part motorcycle and part cargo truck. It represents Harley-Davidson’s first venture into commercial vehicles. The company built only about 300 of these delivery bikes. The three-wheeler places a large box-like cargo container with two wheels in front of a single-rear-wheel motorcycle. The Forecar uses standard handlebars to control the front wheels.
The use of these three-wheel vehicles for local deliveries was short-lived. The concept was replaced by cargo-oriented sidecars and four-wheel delivery vans.
Based in Calgary, Canada, the seller says that the Forecar was first sold after its two-speed transmission went out. A few years later, it seemed to vanish.
Another Delivery Motorcycle on eBay
If you’re an antique motorcycle buff, you probably know about the Harley-Davidson Servi-Car manufactured from 1932 to 1975. There’s a beautifully restored 1940 Servi-Car available on eBay right now.
The Servi-Car reverses the Forecar configuration by placing the motorcycle in front of a large cargo box. Back in the day, dealerships would tow the motorcycle behind a new car getting delivered to its buyer. Upon arrival to the customer, the Servi-Car would be unhitched. The delivery agent would then ride it back to the dealer or auto shop. That system could come in handy these days when so many cars are getting delivered.
The Indian Traffic Car trike - opens in new window or tab. and the American Belt-Drive Tri-Car are other examples of historic last-mile three-wheel delivery motorcycles.
The Elusive Two-Speed Transmission
The Forecar, the Servi-car’s predecessor, is a Model 9 Harley-Davidson. It featured a heavy iron frame and a steerable front axle. A 61 cubic-inch, air-cooled four-stroke engine with F-Heads provides power. It made a whopping 8 horsepower.
The bike was chain-driven with a two-speed transmission. The motorcycle only had a rear brake. There was no suspension.
The purpose of the two-speed design was to help the relatively heavy bike ascend hills. The two-speed had worked fine in 9E standard motorcycles. But apparently, the weight of the 9G bike was too much. When it locked into high gear, the strained engine loosened the wrist pin in one of the cylinders.
Hidden for 40-plus Years
Ally Schuster (right), with a friend, in 1964. The Harley-Davidson Forecar had fallen into disrepair.
As the legend goes, the Harley-Davidson Forecar was originally purchased by Lemke Electric, based in Milwaukee. Joseph Aloysius “Ally” Schuster worked at the local garage that serviced the motorcycle. He bought the bike after its two-speed transmission failed.
Ally picked it up for $20 in 1915 money.
The delivery motorcycle ended up in his brother’s horse barn. That's where it remained for more than 40 years. It was re-discovered in about 1964.
A documentary about the motorcycle will be released later this year.
Michael Schuster, Ally’s grandson, wanted to bring the motorcycle back to life. But restoration of the Harley-Davidson Forecar was not completed until about 2018.
The restorers reportedly started the engine for the first time since about 1915. The team captured the event in this video:
Today, the 1913 motorcycle-truck is about 98-percent original. It even has the original saddle. Some of the motorcycle's story is still murky. The bike has been titled in Montana and Florida.
The rebuilt motorcycle for sale now on eBay was on display at National Motorcycle Museum - opens in new window or tab. in Anamosa, Iowa, in 2014 and 2015. It will now be up to a new owner to carry the Forecar's legacy forward.
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